Demby McKenzie

Description

Demby is a variety singer with a range of services available. Most notable is his tribute act "Demby McKenzie is: Bobby Darin" debuted at the Port Fairy Jazz Festival with rapturous reception. The 1 hour act has been built (with charts) for 6-7 piece band and while it was designed for cruise ship performances in particular, the act fits equally as well in Concert format, as well as festivals and corporate events. While he channel's Bobby Darin's trademark charisma and energy, the act is not an impersonation, and includes personal stories from Demby as well as Bobby Darin folklore that leave au ... diences in tears and stitches.
Demby also performs select other acts in the Fine music & Variety Music Categories, performing with just piano accompaniment or with Demby McKenzie & His Perfectly Sized Band, with styles ranging from Classical, Music Theatre, Swing, Rock'n'Roll, Folk & Traditional Gospel. Read More

Set-List

Single Act Setlist (45 mins) - 'Demby McKenzie is: Bobby Darin'
- Dream Lover/Splish Splash (alla his 1973 Midnight Special Performance)
- This Could Be The Start of Something Big
- A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
- As Long As I'm Singin'
- Beyond The Sea
- More
- Artificial Flowers
- Mack The Knife
- Simple Song of Freedom
- Bridge over Troubled Water (alla his 1973 Vegas Performance)
- Clementine
- The Curtain Falls
- Clementine (Reprise)
Double Act setlist (2x 45 mins)- 'Demby McKenzie is: Bobby Darin'
Act 1
1. Dream lover/Splash Splash
3. This Could be the start ... of something Big
4. Nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
5. I'm beginning to see the light
6. As long as I’m singing
7. Call me Irresponsible
8. Ace in the hole
9. You’re nobody till someone loves you
10. It Had To Be You
12. Beyond the sea
Act 2
1. Hello Dolly
2. Charade
11. Can’t take my eyes of you (transcribed from his 1973 Vegas residency)
3. More
4. Artificial Flowers
5. Mack the knife
7. Simple song of freedom
8. Like a bridge over troubled water
9. Clementine
10. The Curtain falls
11. Clementine Reprise
And that's just Bobby Darin!! In the event you want another act channeling a wider variety of golden age or swing, Demby has over 100 Big Band Charts with many Rat pack/Buble classics.
An example of a 20 minute Variety set that Demby could play with his existing chart collection would be:
- Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Michael Bible)
- In the Mood (Glenn Miller with Vocals)
- L-O-V-E
- I Won't Dance
- Swingin' On a Star
- Save The Last Dance For Me
- My Way
- And more! Read More

Biography

An export of Camperdown in country Victoria, Demby is an emerging Musical Variety Performer specialising in a range of styles including; Music Theatre, Classical Crossover, Jazz, Rock'n'Roll, Celtic and Traditional Gospel. Demby is also a gifted actor for stage & screen with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre) from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA). While studying, he appeared in the Vocal Ensemble of Chess the Musical (dir. Tyran Parke) at the Regent Theatre, as Officer Milner in Heathers (dir. Alistair Smith), in the Ensemble of Spring Awakening (dir. Petra Kalive) and as Daryl Gra ... dy/Featured Dancer in Curtains (dir. Roger Hodgeman).
In 2024, Demby competed in - and won - the "Australian Danny Boy Championship" at the Koroit Irish Festival, becoming the 26th Recipient of the Prize.
Later in 2024, Demby made is classical debut as the Tenor Soloist of the Port Fairy Spring Music Festival's 'Cosmos' Closing Gala: The Planets (dir. Stefan Cassomenos & Monica Curro), singing Andrew Ford's 'A Martian Sends a Postcard Home'.
In January 2025, Demby co-founded 'Serenata Studios' along with Matthew Lim (Violin, BA Australian Guild of Music) and James Philpot (Piano/Composer, VCA). Serenata - Italian for 'Serenade' - aims to produce Fine Music and Vintage Variety concerts that celebrate timeless music throughout the decades. In 2025, Serenata produced 4 Concerts, including; 'Dreams' (Warrnambool Baptist Church), 'Demby McKenzie & Friends' (Camperdown Theatre Royal), 'Serenata's Celtic Concert' (Kings College Warrnambool) & 'Christmas in July: 1954' (Camperdown Theatre Royal). In August 2025, Demby debuted a new solo concert; 'Prelude', which he aims to tour around Regional Victorian Churches.
September school holidays saw Demby lead the cast of "Captain Jack's Pirate Party" for The Australian Shakespeare Company at Rippon Lea Estate as Major Minor Key.
In February 2026, Demby makes his debut at the Port Fairy Jazz Festival with his Show "Demby McKenzie is..Bobby Darin". He will also appear in February in Serenata's Third Annual Summer Gala at Kings College, and in a brand new Sacred concert: "A Joyful Noise" at St Mark' Benedictine Abby in Camperdown. Read More

Reviews     (1 Review)

Experience

Dembys Performance Credits Include:
- Demby McKenzie is: Bobby Darin (Port Fairy Jazz Festival 2026)
- Pirate Jack's Pirate Party - Major Minor Key (Australian Shakespeare Company, 2025)
- The Hairy Pill - Lead Talent (Television Commercial 2025
- Curtains - Daryl Grady & Featured Dancer (dir. Roger Hodgeman 2024)
- Cosmos Closing Gala - Tenor Soloist (Port Fairy Spring Music Festival dir. Stefan Cassomenos & Monica Curro 2024)
- Spring Awakening - Ensemble (dir. Petra Kalive 2024)
- Heathers - Officer Milner (dir. Alistar Smith 2023)
- Marry Me A Little - Featured Soloist (dir. Tyran ... Parke 2023)
- Chess The Musical - Vocal Ensemble (dir. Tyran Parke 2021) Read More

Previous Clients

- Port Fairy Jazz Festival 2026
- Frolic Lane, Warrnambool
- Warrnambool Aus Music (Russ Goodear)
- Camperdown Theatre Royal
- St Marks Benedictine Abbey, Camperdown

Suitable for

Community Event Concerts / Tours Corporate Event Cruise Ships Festival / Outdoor Event Theaters / Stage

Acting Experience

Specific Acting Experience:
- Pirate Jack's Pirate Party - Major Minor Key (Australian Shakespeare Company, 2025)
- The Hairy Pill - Lead Talent (Television Commercial 2025)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre) Company 2024
- Curtains - Daryl Grady & Featured Dancer (dir. Roger Hodgeman 2024)
- Spring Awakening - Ensemble (dir. Petra Kalive 2024)
- Heathers - Officer Milner (dir. Alistar Smith 2023)
- Marry Me A Little - Featured Soloist (dir. Tyran Parke 2023)

Modelling Experience

The Hairy Pill - Lead Talent (Television Commercial & Promotional Modelling Shoot 2025)

Physical Characteristics

Meet the Act

Hi!! I'm a singer based in Melbourne Australia. I graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2024 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre). Throughout Uni I specialised in Golden Age singing, both Classical and Jazz/swing, which has given me a deep appreciation for all sorts of vintage music. The story behind a Bobby Darin Tribute is almost an accident. Growing up as a singer, I was obviously a Michael Bublé fan, and I came to assume that all of his covers of old music must be Sinatra songs. Halfway through Uni I became obsessed with Michael's version of "Nightingale Sang in Berk ... eley Square". Again, I assumed was a Sinatra song so I went to search for his original and instead of Frank, Bobby Darin came up. I immediately thought - what? The 'Beyond the Sea guy? He did more than one song? Turns out yep, he sure did. Each new song I heard from him was my new favourite song. "Beyond The Sea", "More", "Dream Lover", "Splish Splash", "Mack The Knife", "Clementine" & "Artificial Flowers" (My current favourite). I thought then at uni that there's a show opportunity there, and started to plan how I might do it. Clearly, Broadway beat me to it with "Just In Time", but I decided to proceed anyway with a tribute act to honour my new favourite singer of all time, with some of my favourite songs of all time. My favourite part of performing this set is the audience realising - song by song - just how big Bobby Darin's music (in his tragically short life) has been a part of their lives. My goal is to take it onto as many cruise ships as possible all over the world. Read More